


The Night Before Christmas

by Phoenix_before_the_flame



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Lucy Heartfilia - Freeform, Nalu - Freeform, Natsu Dragneel - Freeform, One Shot, but now its a new years present, hope you dudes enjoy!, i was supposed to upload this earlier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-25 21:10:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13221315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoenix_before_the_flame/pseuds/Phoenix_before_the_flame
Summary: ‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Ok well no not really, that’s a lie, there were two people stirring in the wee hours of night, thinking about their christmas past, present and future.





	The Night Before Christmas

“So what, you’re telling me you never believed in Santa Claus? ” Lucy scooted back into Natsu, sighing happily when she feels his warm chest against her back. She grabs his arm and drapes it over her waist, trying desperately to soak up some of his heat.

It’s not like he needed  _all_  of it.

Natsu was always ridiculously hot, literally and in the other way that makes him don his trademark snarky grin whenever she said it. Cuddling with him in summer was like condemning herself to the deepest pits of hell but at least now in the winter’s chill it was fully welcome.

He chuckled at her antics and hugged her close, pulling Lucy flush against him. He hissed when she evilly rubbed her frosty toes against his calf. Why doesn’t she ever wear socks when she knows her feet get cold easily? He’s pretty sure it’s a deliberate thing, that mad woman.

“Well back home we didn’t exactly have snow. Or a chimney, so there’s that.” Natsu relented his other arm to Lucy, deciding to abandon her pillow in favour of his bicep. It was gonna be dead by morning but it was worth the closeness, even if it meant waking up with her hair in his mouth.

“Plus the windows and doors had grills on 'em so he’d have to get through those,” He explained. “And that sounded more like a thief to me when I was a kid.” Natsu snorts at the sudden memory of Igneel’s roaring laughter when he’d first come to that conclusion. Looking back on it now Natsu still felt he was right.

“Oh my god you thought Santa was a thief.” Lucy deadpanned. “What about the tooth fairy, was she a thief too? Please tell me the easter bunny have rabies or something.” He couldn’t see it but Natsu could feel the grin growing as she spoke. She wiggled like she wanted to turn over but otherwise, stayed as she was.

“Guy comes to my house in the dead of night, eats all my cookies and leaves after maybe leaving some presents if I’m good by his standards. Yeah he totally sounds like someone I should believe in.”

“I bet you were a real grinch at Christmas time, huh?” Lucy mused, elbowing him in the stomach.

“I was still a saint!” Lucy snorted in disbelief. “Ask Wendy. She’ll totally vouch for me. But you shouldn’t rag on me, what about you? Did you ever believe in the jolly ol’ fat guy or what?”

Natsu nosed her cheek, pushing aside stray blonde strands that tickled him into sneezing. Best not let that happen, once was enough for Lucy and she still won’t forgive him for that. But she forgave him when he almost ran her over with his bike. And she said  _he_  was the weird one, honestly.

It was snowing outside, a light wave behind the frosted window just beyond the bed but it’d be a heavy blanket by morning. A thick, heavy blanket of cold that Natsu’d frolick through, creating snow-Happys and bombard her with when her back was undoubtedly turned. And probably rally in the neighbourhood kids while he was at it. He was really good with kids, and just seemed to attract wherever he went.

It was refreshing to say the least, how he made her appreciate the cold. Her mind drifted to somewhere else, fireplace always empty and locked up, only needing to look pretty like everything else in the house. Why use it when the house had perfectly good heating as it is? It was always warm there yet, inexplicably cold, and it grew colder yet when she innocently asked the question to the wrong person. Even when her mother told her otherwise, she still wouldn’t forget.

“No, I didn’t.” She whispered. Lucy wiggled again and Natsu relinquished his hold on her waist for her to turn over, rolling on her side to face him. Her eyes were downcast, watching as her fingers ghosted over the bare mattress.

She never liked having the sheet on. It felt too smooth and always made it hard for her to sleep.

“Dad killed any sort of belief I might’ve had.” Lucy wrinkled her nose. “And I think I might’ve killed it for a few kids at school.” His hand found hers atop the mattress, tapping her knuckle thoughtfully. “Sounds like you were the real grinch.” He joked, grabbing the blanket- worn, kinda holey but full of love- and threw it over their heads, landing on them with a heavy  _'fwump’._

“You’re a mean one, little miss grinch~” Natsu sang, bumping noses with her. Lucy glanced at him, a little smile on her lips as she let out a breathy giggle. He couldn’t do anything about her past, but he could at least lessen her guilt about things that happened. They weren’t her fault anyways.

“But I’ll admit, I might’ve lied about being a saint.” She quirked a brow, the look dripping with sarcasm. “I was maybe a little bit of a grinch back then. So we can both share the title of being  _'the mean one’._ ”

“You’re so thoughtful. ” Lucy said, pinching his cheek. He didn’t look it, but Natsu had very pinchable cheeks with just the right amount of squish between her fingertips when her hands, more often than not, found themselves on his face. And it especially didn’t help when he grinned, like right now for example, it just made her want pinch them even harder. She thinks she might be developing a problem.

“I know.” He said smugly, waggling his eyebrows. “But it’s such a weird idea though, isn’t it? A guy somehow flying all around the world delivering the perfect gift to each and every kid there is. I did physics Luce, that just ain’t happening.”

She hummed in agreement, reaching behind to tuck the blanket under her side. That little cold spot was freezing her butt off. “Well since it check out then its a good thing we grinches never believed in him. Else this revelation would’ve been a real shocker.” Lucy surmised, brushing back his hair out of his eyes, to no avail. It just fell back , thick pink locks that didn’t really to anything to block his tired yet happy green gaze.

She too could feel the sleep pulling at her from all sides and drooping her eyelids low. Natsu stifled a weak yawn, which was followed by a stronger, more powerful yawn.

“Am I boring you?” She teased, poking his chest.

“No I’m not.” He managed through another yawn. “You’re just making me sleepy s’ all. You’re comfy.” Natsu inhaled deeply, nosing at her again. Her smell, she remembered him say, always relaxed him,made him feel calm and can always ease him to sleep. Weird but somehow incredibly heartwarming.

“Well ok then, we should try and get some sleep.” “But I wanna stay up and talk some more.” He protested, draping a leg over her as if to prevent her from any sort of escape.

“Fine. What’re we gonna talk about then? Because it’s your turn to carry the conversation. I don’t think we can trash talk Santa anymore.” “Never know until we try, right?” Lucy huffed as he rolled dragging her to rest half on top of him with a satisfied rumble, hand combing through mussed up hair before cradling her neck, hair bunching up beneath his fingers.

“We could do something me and Igneel always did. It was sort of an every night thing but,” He shrugged. “ it still works for the holidays.”

“First you start off with 3 things you’re grateful for right now and then you say 3 things that you want for the future. Not stuff but just, things you want to happen.” Natsu explained, hand leaving the back of her neck to smooth up and down her back. “He always said when you did that you’d wish it into existence.

Here I’ll go first. Right now I’m grateful for…..” He paused, eyebrows scrunched up together in deep thought, bottom lip jutting out cutely. “Happy. ” Natsu said with absolute certainty. “He’s better than us because he probably believes in Santa.”

She buried her face in his chest, shaking with silent laughter. “Natsu what the hell.” “It’s true and you know it.”

Lucy glanced up at him.“ Our cat believes in meow mix, kitty litter and that he can somehow fly.” Seriously, she’d seen that cat jump from balcony to balcony like it was some kitty version of Assassin’s Creed. “Be serious.”

“I am! Lemme just finish! I’m grateful for Happy, my super cool, extra awesome firefighter job and well, you of course. How could I forget about the lovely miss grinch?” He pinched her cheek, the one way lower down and snickered when she yelped, pulling his hand to settle back on her waist. “Your turn.”

“Yeah alright. I’m grateful foooor, our friends.” “Sure you grateful for Gajeel? Be serious.”

“I am!” Lucy replied, parroting his earlier words. “Lemme just finish! I’m grateful for all our friends, including Gajeel.” “A mistake but continue.”

“And I’m grateful for Plue, even if he keeps chewing through all my shoes. And you of course, like you’d even had to guess about that one.”

A weak sneeze sounded from outside the room followed by some weak shuffling before everything went back to quiet, save for their light breathing beneath the blanket. That’s good, if Plue woke now then they’d never get to sleep, he was too excitable that big puppy.

Lucy drew her legs up from poking out under the blanket. These toes were warm and they were staying that way. “So I’m supposed say what I want now, right?”

He nodded sleepily, tucking her head under his chin.

“Well, I want my novel to be published soon. Like next month soon.” She mumbled into his chest. “ And maybe a better job.” Definitely a better job, working for Jonah Jameson wasn’t fun or paid that great.

“And I don’t wanna sound cheesy but, I wanna stay with you. For as long as possible.” She finished casually, knowing with satisfaction that his cheeks swirled red despite the calm expression he wore. Sure he had his moments of making her red, but she had her times too, they weren’t as often as his but that made them all the more fun.

“Your turn Pinky. What do you want?”

Natsu stayed silent for a few seconds, hands smoothing up and down her back once more.  _“What I want huh….”_  He said softly.

“I’d want some more cash.” Natsu said simply, shrugging weakly.

Lucy pulled herself up, balancing herself on his chest as she stared down at him confused. “ I thought you said no stuff on the want list.” Lucy pouted. “You’re breaking your own rules here. ”

“Don’t worry Luce, my list gets better. I also want a ring too, a really, fancy one.” His eyes darted to the side and Lucy was absolutely sure the blush spread to his ears. Though she could be sure she was the same, her face feeling warm. She gnawed on her lip, almost sure of what he might say next.

“What’d you need a ring for Natsu?” She asked softly, cupping his face. “ Your list is sounding kinda expensive.”

“Well…” He wet his lips almost nervously, eyes darting to the sides before settling on her face. His next words came out soft, nearly hesitant. “ I need a ring because I want to make little ms. grinch a Mrs., if she’ll say yes when I have it.”

“Well I’ll say yes from now.” She laughed happily, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose watching as an elated smile grew on his lips. Natsu’s arms wrapped around her tighter, almost crushing her in the hug but Lucy hardly minded. “But I think I’d prefer Dragneel to grinch, if that’s ok with you.”

“Aye sir.” He let out a light laugh, pressing a sloppy but well meaning kiss to her shoulder. “Love you Lucy.”

“I love you too Natsu. Now let’s get some shut eye, before Santa comes and finds us.” She winked and he snorted, eyes already drawing shut at her words.

Even so, they still stayed up for another hour, 'til the sun pierced even their thick blanket, aimlessly chattering as giddiness bounced between them easily. They finally fell asleep way into Christmas morning, where nothing really was stirring and the blanket outside was cold and white.

And the last thought they shared was of jingling bells, clearer than any bells ever heard on a sleigh.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are appreciated!


End file.
